LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION

Jack Williams, foodie extraordinaire and TV chef has recently published his first book. Mary meets him

JACK WILLIAMS GREW up locally going to school in Bourne. He always loved food, wasn’t interested in taking A Levels so left to go to college where he studied hospitality and catering so learnt all about front of house work as well as cooking and theory and nutrition.

He drifted into working at the Ideal World shopping channel in Peterborough but little did he know that this was the start of his catering and media career and that it would turn out to take him in a full circle.

Jack started working as a home economist for the shopping channel. This involved buying all the food needed for the cooking shows, preparing it all and pre cooking bits so that the chef on camera had everything to hand. Jack learnt a lot this way ‘even if it was by osmosis just being around the chefs and production team.’

After a couple of years he decided it was time to leave Peterborough and explore a bit of the wide world, heading to Florida and landing a job at Epcot in Disney World. ‘I spent a year working there and learnt so much about service and front of house. Americans, particularly Disney, are renowned for their service skills.’ He then returned to the Ideal World channel absorbing himself in learning all about live TV and food preparation.

‘Itchy feet got to me again and I decided I was going to head to Australia. d done five years at deal World with a gap in America so wanted to broaden my horizons. I was 25 with no commitments. I wanted to travel around the country but wanted to work as well.’

And Jack had some unique skills. He got in touch with a production company who, as it happened, were commissioning for a show on channel 7, Drive Through Australia. And they needed a home economist. So Jack got to travel around Australia being paid for the privilege. ‘We travelled in luxury. I was buying all the food, prepping it again and cooking it for the ‘here’s what I made earlier’ slots. I had no desire to be in front of the camera but was enjoying honing my finesse as a chef and was learning loads from the production team and from watching the presenter and his skills.’

This led to him being put forward to Australian Masterchef, one of the biggest shows on television in Australia at the time. ‘It was a big budget production and again I was the home economist; stocking the pantry, looking after the competitors, cooking some of the recipes before the competitors were given their tasks by the judges, that sort of thing.’

But all good things come to an end. His two year visa was up and because his work was temporary, working for different production companies, he was unable to get sponsorship to stay in Australia. So he headed home to the UK, found an agent and very quickly started working in TV production as a home economist and food stylist.

Ten years later, what Jack hasn’t worked on when it comes to TV cookery shows is probably not worth mentioning. You name it, he’s been on it including the really big daytime shows such as This Morning and Sunday Lunch. ‘The home economist and stylist does all the hard work, with very little praise and by now I had gained confidence and e perience so decided it was time to have a go at presenting myself.’

This started by being a hand model for top down videos which mainly appear on social media. And then he progressed to being fully on camera. He was also working with many well known high-end brands such as Miele where he would go to people’s homes and demonstrate how to use the equipment they had spent a fortune on. ‘I’ve met some very interesting people.’ Weber BBQs were another company, demonstrating in Harrods and many more well known brands, too numerous to mention.

And then three years ago Ideal Home got in touch again. This time they wanted Jack to be in front of the camera rather than behind the scenes. ‘Basically I was head hunted. I decided to give it a go, did quite well and am now their resident chef on screen five days a week.’ To have the confidence to cook is one thing, but to have the confidence to cook and talk at the same time is a skill. t s di cult, and then you have to be able to demonstrate a product and sell it as well, all the time listening to someone talking to you through an ear piece. ou have to make sure you don t get ustered or make mistakes and remember it’s live TV so the pressure is always on. Presenting is a real skill and many chefs, however excellent their cooking skills just can’t do it, or don’t want to.’

‘I sort of fell into the media side of my work. You could say it chose me. A lot of it is down to chance and luck but I’m a great believer that you make your own luck. If you have the appetite for hard work and are up for the challenge, you’ll get there.’

Jack now obviously develops his own recipes and has recently published his first book ack yard and grilling. t s the go to for barbecue cooking, not just for recipes but advice as well. Internal core temperatures and cuts of meat, equipment needed, direct and indirect heat, gas vs charcoal and whatever else you can think of is all included in the book as well as delicious recipes, some of which you’d never even consider could be cooked on a barbecue.

Jack’s book, Back-yard BBQ and Grilling, is now available to buy from Walkers in Stamford and Oakham or online at

www.idealworld.tv

'It’s the go-to for barbecue cooking, not just for recipes but advice as well.'